Be Brave

(Blogpost written by Sarah Jeter)

Hobby Lobby has ruined inspiration signs for America. You know what I’m talking about. Just look above your fireplace. Is “Live, Laugh, Love” painted in curly script on a fake-weathered piece of wood? I thought so.

And I’m not saying that’s bad. It’s good to fill your home with positivity and inspiration and the motivation to feed the good things in your life. All I’m saying is that Hobby Lobby has made them so mainstream they kind of lose their meaning.

That’s why, when I saw the new sign painted on the hallway wall in the girls’ corridor at Jemo House (the children’s home in Maseno, Kenya TLC runs), it didn’t strike me as anything too special. It says, “Be Brave.”

But, dear reader, take a second to think about what it means to tell a young woman to “be brave” in a rural village in Kenya.

Many of the girls at Jemo House come from abusive homes and families. Each day, they’re recovering and healing from years of mistreatment and abuse. For them, being brave is waking up every morning and choosing to heal, to forgive, and love people, even when so many people have given them thousands of reasons not to.

Being brave in Maseno is working hard in school, being bold about wanting to go to college and pursue a love of learning instead of the comfort of a more domestic life. It means fighting against gender normalities and expectations we don’t have in the same capacity in the United States. And it means always wearing a dress, even if that’s not what makes you feel comfortable or at home in yourself.

We are proud of all of our children at Jemo House, especially our young women. We are proud that they’ve chosen to be brave, and part of our mission to encourage and equip them to choose bravery every day. But the other part of our mission is teaching them that choosing bravery doesn’t always mean choosing anger. It takes bravery to love others, stand up for what you know to be right, and do what is best, not what is easy.

If you want to help us keep encouraging our girls to be brave, we would love your support. A $10/month donation will help us feed these young, hungry and courageous ladies. (Bravery is easier on a full stomach, I know this from experience.)

But, more importantly, TLC is asking each of you to practice bravery this week, in honor of the girls we support. Love yourself and others sincerely, in the way you deserve to be loved. That’s true bravery.

From your family at TLC, have a great week.

Got a few minutes? Here is a great and related Ted Talk about bravery and vulnerability.
https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability?language=en